Strange trip to the shelter. . .

My friend was upset when she found out that Spooky wasn't having any babies. Her Polly and Susie passed on not long ago and she was looking for new cats.

I suggested a shelter and she called around and they told her to call back in two weeks... they didn't have any kittens. And they also said they didn't have very many adult cats for adoption either.

I found that odd. They said it just wasn't kitty season and in a few weeks they would have lots of kittens.

Why do I always hear about over population and crowded shelters? This must be a local thing. Or they are lying to us.

I personally don't find it odd. It's not kitten season yet and it won't be for a few weeks.. It's true. they are seasonal breeders and when Spring comes then there will be kittens. they will just have to be patient.

I dont see why they would lie, if they are over-populated then they will be desperate to sell the kitties. Just before i finished at Animal Aid we started getting a few mums and kitties in and that wasn't even summer, i can imagine how bad it is now that it's so hot every day. Maybe some days they sell alot of kitties?

I just didn't realize there was a slow season. I just thought that since so many animals were euthanised every year that shelters were crawling with cat and dogs and such all year round.

I put myself in as a candidate for fostering, but my own kittens aren't up to date needled >_< shoot. Nor is mommy spayed. So I guess I don't meet qualifications yet.

I'll be ready for the next kitty season.

Originally Posted by Miagi's_Mommy

I personally don't find it odd.

It's not kitten season yet and it won't be for a few weeks.. It's true. they are seasonal breeders and when Spring comes then there will be kittens. they will just have to be patient.

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Yup-thats the truth!! Kitty season will be here before we know it

Is she set on getting a kitten? I think its so great when people adopt older cats They need homes too!

If your friend really wants to adopt now, and doesn't have to have a young kitten, the two of you could try finding no kill shelters or rescue groups. Having a 6 month old kitten myself, I find it hard to believe that no one would have kittens this time of year. Unless they consider kittens to only be around 3 months old age.

It is a slow time for KITTENS, but I don't understand why it would be a slow time for older cats. We don't take owner surrenders at my rescue, but perhaps fewer people relinquish their housepets in the winter? Maybe?

Heck, we're still getting bazillions of calls about strays to rescue and ferals to socialize or TNR. Not a lot of vacancy in our old house!

If your friend specified kittens, then it is very possible that they did not have any available. She also may have specified some preferences, and they didn't have any cats right now that are a fit for her.

We currently have 16 cats-total! Last spring/summer/fall....we hit 70-80 cats at several different times. Our capacity is 35 cats. We literally had as many cages as possible in our laundry room.

It's not odd that they don't have many cats...kitten season will come all too soon!

It's not unusual. Our shelter takes in close to 14,000 animals per year.

We have no kittens right now. We are averaging about 30-40 pets per day. come kitten season (which is going to start soon, we are getting pregnant mothers in )we will take in 80-90 a day.

Frankly, if I never see another kitten as long as I live it would be too soon.

All kittens grow up to be cats, people should adopt adult cats. Can you imagine being undesirable just because your older?

My Forest wasn an adult when I adopted him. Boy do I love him lots. I love him more than I ever thought I could have. After my Mr. Murphy died I never thought I could feel so greatly for a cat again. Forest proved me wrong.

Adult cats rule.

Originally Posted by Breal76

Frankly, if I never see another kitten as long as I live it would be too soon.

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Gosh yes. Kitten season is a NIGHTMARE at shelters. We just start putting kittens in all kinds of crazy places... we're just stuffing kennels wherever we can possibly fit them. Our foster coordinator begs foster parents not to bring their kits back for a back "just yet" because we haven't the room for them... Then the URI outbreak hits inevitably and it just hellish.

And yes, I concur--adult cats rule. Kittens are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo dirty. Nothing makes you love an adult more than when you see a kitten playing hockey with a turd from the litter box.

At my shelter, we had about 3-4 kitties this time last year. At the moment we have heaps due to a busy kitten season last year for us.

If someone had have rung last year saying they wanted a young kitten, or a younger cat that liked other cats I would have said "call back in a month" also. The only cats we had were the "harder to place" kitties.

I can believe that - we are getting loads of calls for kittens - we had some last week, but they were ready for rehoming on Fri, and by Sun we only had 1 left (who isn't ready yet), an 8mo, less than half a dozen adults and that is it - but we are glad, as we are waiting for 2 pregnant females to be trapped, then it will be a different matter!! I would imagine the majority of the rescues are like us and relieved when we have a bit of a lull, even if it does only last a week or so.

Kitten season is spring followed by summer. Cats generally do not reproduce during the cold seasons since they have worked out that kittens born outside during these months will most probably NOT survive.

Seriously, coming from a hot country, consider it a blessing that you only have some 6-8 month of kitten season and not the year round like we do!

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

It is a slow time for KITTENS, but I don't understand why it would be a slow time for older cats. We don't take owner surrenders at my rescue, but perhaps fewer people relinquish their housepets in the winter? Maybe?

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There is usually a flux of owner turn-ins about 2 month after Christmas here - the Christmas present that didn't work out.

Kitten season around here starts mid April and peaks thru June. The kittens coming in mid April are in the process of being born right now (the weather is already warming up for spring). Since the weather is colder in Nova Scotia, I wonder if cats wait longer in the winter to go into heat and have kittens.

Our shelter sometimes has a waiting list for kittens this time of year. It's really a shame, because there are almost always several healthy, perfectly behaved adult cats who really need good homes.

because there are almost always several healthy, perfectly behaved adult cats who really need good homes.

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Exactly! And as the person walks out the door and says "no kittens" I always say "We have adult cats that are just in need of a home!"

I don't understand what the point of adopting from a shelter if it is not to save a life. You know, people want lap cats, ect. Kittens are like boxes of chocolate, you don't know what you are going to get! Cats have personalities because they are grown up. They are lap cats, ect.

You know what I hate most about kitten season. Is it will come and leave the adult cats in the dust. They will sit and they will wait longer to get a home. Everybody will want a kitten. Can you imagine day after day watching kitten after kitten leave. Just sitting there thinking " I am just as worthy!"

Argh..Okay can't talk about this anymore.

yeah, adult cats are pretty much unadoptable during kitten season. Such a shame.

We've already got two probably preggo moms right now. UUUgh. So it begins...

Originally Posted by Momofmany

There is usually a flux of owner turn-ins about 2 month after Christmas here - the Christmas present that didn't work out.

Kitten season around here starts mid April and peaks thru June. The kittens coming in mid April are in the process of being born right now (the weather is already warming up for spring). Since the weather is colder in Nova Scotia, I wonder if cats wait longer in the winter to go into heat and have kittens.

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Count yourselves lucky you get "Christmas gifts gone bad" so soon after Christmas! It's usually kitten season when the "Christmas gifts gone bad" start coming in...when we're slammed with cats already. Unfotunately, the "christmas gifts gona bad" cats are usually the first we euthanize for behavior problems.